Nestled Near The Blue Ridge Foothills Is A South Carolina Gem With A Friendly Name And Scenic Views

With its ethnically and economically diverse population, Welcome, South Carolina, lives up to its name as an open and accepting place for the 7,000-plus people who call it home. The Greenville suburb is not only the third most diverse suburb in South Carolina but also one of the top 20 best places to raise a family in the state with its affordability and highly ranked public schools. Welcome is home to the best charter school in South Carolina as well as the best high school for the arts, according to Niche.

Welcome offers the ideal combination for families of top-rated schools and accessible housing, with median costs well below the national average. Considered part of the Greenville metropolitan area, the close-knit Welcome community sits just 10 minutes away from charming downtown Greenville, where you'll discover the culture, convenience, and opportunities of a larger city. Add the Blue Ridge Mountains as your backdrop, and Welcome almost seems too good to be true. Whether you're looking to relocate or need a low-key escape, consider a visit to the area in autumn for incredible fall festivities and foliage without big crowds.

A visit to Welcome means spending time in Greenville, where modern, creative expression melds with Southern tradition. You'll find a thriving food scene, great shopping, and an engaging cultural calendar filled with gallery exhibitions, live music, and festivals. Cultural hub Heritage Green in downtown Greenville is home to the Greenville County Museum of Art, The Children's Museum of the Upstate, and Sigal Music Museum, where you can hear and see 400 years worth of historically significant musical instruments.

The Greenville metropolitan area offers ample opportunities to get outside, starting with what locals refer to simply as "the park." Greenville's iconic Falls Park on the Reedy is a natural urban oasis along the Reedy River with waterfalls, flowers, and trails right in city center. Don't miss the Liberty Bridge for the best views of what locals consider the heart of downtown Greenville. From Falls Park, you can access Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile greenway connecting downtown Greenville to other area attractions, including the Greenville Zoo and Unity Park.

Those gorgeous mountains along the horizon are closer than you think. Just over an hour from Welcome, DuPont State Recreational Forest offers waterfalls, hidden lakes, and silver screen views. The 2.7-mile Triple Falls Trail takes you to the filming site of "The Hunger Games" and "The Last of The Mohicans." Those in the know stop for ice cream at Dolly's Dairy Bar, open seasonally on the outskirts of Pisgah National Forest.

The easiest way to reach Welcome is the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, but its proximity to Atlanta (144 miles), Charlotte (108 miles), and Asheville (65 miles) makes it an accessible and affordable stop on any Southern road trip. The Swamp Rabbit Inn is a whimsical bed and breakfast that's walkable to downtown Greenville with rooms starting at $135. Or stay just outside of Greenville on a 180-acre nature preserve at luxury property Hotel Hartness, with its own 15 miles of trails, starting at $194 for a deluxe queen room.